How To Find Strength When You Don’t Have Time To Curl Up In A Ball And Die

By the end of last week, I found myself drowning, in what seemed like, a pool of sorrow. Here are the steps I took to clamber out.

I guess we’ve all had those moments where we know that life is still worth living, we just can’t quite remember the reasons why. If you’re like me and it takes a while for you to process situations and find out how you feel about things, then it’s easy to go from feeling ok to wanting to throw yourself off of the closest bridge, before realising you’re being melodramatic, reach for a drink or a bar of chocolate, and collapse in a hump on the floor. Sometimes when I’m slumped I literally have to give myself a mental pep talk till I find the strength to get up.

But getting up is only half the problem

You still have to find a way to function: a way to find faith in the lightless tunnel, a way to believe that your situation will end in life (goodness, a testimony, reasons to jump for joy)!

So what comes next?

Next it’s conversation with God time.

Step 1: Tell God exactly how you feel

There’s no point sugar-coating your emotions with God. He sees your heart. Lying to God is a fruitless as when Adam tried to hide in the garden of Eden from an all-knowing God.To the person who’s reading this and screaming “sometimes I just don’t want to share!!!” I am sitting with you in that boat. I too am I private person, but there can be no secrets in your relationship with Christ.(It just doesn’t work when you’re in a relationship with someone who sees the depths of your heart and knows your most secret thoughts even before you’ve thought them.)Sorry.

Step 2: Surround yourself with The Word

Whether it’s through praising him or reading your Bible or meditating on the scriptures that are written on your heart, if there was ever a time to replay the words of God, it’s now. D’you ever keep important conversations that you’ve had with people, just so you can look over them again at a later date and remind yourself of the words that were exchanged? You may know that someone loves you, but reading the words again causes the emotions you felt when you first read them to wash over you afresh, and suddenly you feel all warm and fuzzy inside( I’ve been told that’s what love is like, you already know the status of my lack of love-life). This is what you need to do with the word of God. Remind yourself of the strength you first felt when you read that ‘His strength was made perfect in your weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9) or the freedom that came over you when you learnt that ‘you could cast all your cares unto him’ (Psalm 55:22). Relive the moment and revive your faith.

Step 3: Pray for God’s perfect will

Sometimes our journey with Christ feels like a leisurely stroll but at other points we can feel like we’re faced with the Red Sea and the Egyptians are advancing at our backs. In the moments where you feel like you have everything to lose and nothing to gain, it’s not time to be dictating to God. He’s allowed you to be brought to what seems like the edge of the cliff, because he wants to show you how powerful he is. He wants to show you that he can catch you when you fall. He wants to show you that he wouldn’t let your feet touch the ground, and he wants you to know that the thoughts he has towards you are good and not evil, to bring you to a perfect end. He wants you to remember that even before you were in your mother’s womb he knew you, and if you were to just rely on him, he’d save you.

God is so awesome, and in the midst of the chaos, he’s still in control, in the midst of the hardship he’s still you’re provider, and in the midst of the pain, he’s still your healer. Psalm 23 has got to be one of the most popular passages known to Christiandom and if you have a read you’ll understand why. When I was on my knees with my face in my hands wondering how I was going to find the strength to continue going through the motions of life as I know it, this chapter reminded me that my God is in control.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

He’s with you folks, and even when you stray, he doesn’t leave your side. I hope these steps help you, because the road won’t always be rosy, but your God will always be magnificent.

Shout out to my lover: King Jesus, who will always be the lover of my soul